Combi-equipment

ABSTRACT

Combi-equipment functioning as transport cart and ladder, particularly boat-ladder, said equipment comprising a main frame (1) supported by wheels (9, 10) and a load-carrying member, said main frame comprising two elongate, substantially parallel side frame pieces (2, 3) and upper and lower end frame pieces (4, 5), joining the side frame pieces, as well as a number of transverse stays between the side frame parts. 
     The equipment according to the invention is characterized in that the load-carrying member comprises a load-carrying frame (13) pivotably journalled on a transverse stay (8) or on the side frame parts, and a support frame (21) which is pivotably journalled on the load-carrying frame (13), that the support frame (21) is provided with locking means (25) designed to be brought into engagement with either the lower end frame part (5) of the main frame to give a first position of the load-carrying member, or with a second transverse stay (7) of the main frame part, said stay being located above and at a predetermined distance from said first transverse stay (8), to give a second position of the load-carrying member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a combi-equipment functioning astransport cart and ladder, particularly boat-ladder, said equipmentcomprising a main frame supported by wheels, and a load-carrying member,said main frame comprising two elongate, substantially parallel sideframe pieces and upper and lower end frame pieces joining the side framepieces, as well as a number of transverse stays between the side frameparts.

Equipment of the type mentioned above is known per se through U.S.patent Ser. No. 2,843,393, British Pat. No. 636,141 and GermanOffenlegungsschrift No. 2 205 501, for instance. All these utensils canbe used for various limited purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide equipment of the typementioned which can be used for considerably more purposes thanpreviously known equipment, by means of a quick and simple conversion.

Another object of the present invention is to provide equipment which issimple in design, weighs little, but is still sufficiently stable tofulfil its various tasks.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide equipment towhich accessories can easily be applied, thus further increasing theusefulness of the equipment.

The objects listed above are achieved according to the present inventionby giving the equipment the characteristics defined in the claims.

Since the load-carrying member, comprising a load-carrying framepivotably journalled on a transverse stay or on the side frame parts,and support frame which is pivotably journalled in conjunction with theload-carrying frame, this enables the support frame, with the help oflocking members, to be brought into engagement either with the lower endframe part of the main frame to give a first position of theload-carrying member, or with a second transverse stay of the main framepart, said stay being located above said first transverse stay, to givea second position of the load-carrying member.

The load-carrying frame may also be designed to comprise an outer part,jointed in relation to an inner part of the load-carrying member,arranged to be locked in relation to the frame part to provide anextended load plane or extended support member.

The outer part of the frame part may also be provided with locking meanswhich, after the locking engagement of the outer part with theload-carrying frame has been released, can be brought into engagementwith the lower end frame part of the main frame, so that yet anotherposition for the load-carrying member is obtained.

The load-carrying frame may also be designed to abut against the lowerend frame part of the main frame, whereupon the outer part of theload-carrying frame is arranged via a means preventing further turning,to assume a perpendicular position in relation to the load-carryingframe, the outer part of the load-carrying frame serving as a support onthe ground.

The present invention is particularly useful as an accessory for leisureboats to fulfil the double function of facilitating climbing ashore oraboard over the bow, for instance, and serving as a transport cart forgoods to be transported to and from the boat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described with reference to various preferredembodiments shown in the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which

FIGS. 1 and 1a show the equipment in a position enabling it to be usedas a bow ladder,

FIGS. 2 and 2a show the equipment in a position enabling it to be usedas a stern ladder with a folding lower part folded down and up,respectively.

FIGS. 3 and 3a show the equipment in a position for use as a transportcart with maximum load plane,

FIGS. 4 and 4a show alternative embodiments of the equipment withpivotably jointed load-carrying frames where only the inner section ofthe load-carrying frame is used for carrying loads,

FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the equipment in a positionenabling it to be used as a small, raised load plane, and

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the equipment according to the inventionwhen folded.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The equipment shown in FIGS. 1-3 comprises a flat, retangular main frame1 composed of two parallel side frame pieces 2, 3, an upper end framepiece 4 and a lower end frame piece 5. The main frame is provided withan upper transverse stay 6, an intermediate transverse stay 7 and alower transverse stay 8, said transverse stays being arranged atpredetermined distances from the lower end frame piece 5 of the mainframe. The main frame is supported by two wheels 9, 10 running outsidethe side frame parts 2,3 and journalled on pins 11 formed by extensionson each side of the lower end frame part 5.

The main frame part 1 is provided with a load-carrying andsupport-forming member, termed load-carrying frame 13 in the following.This load-carrying frame 13 is provided with two parallel bars 14, 15,which are pivotably jointed on the lower transverse stay 8 by means oftwo bearing sleeves to which the bars are secured to form a right angleto their turning axis. Of course, the load-carrying frame 13 can also bepivotably attached in the main frame 1 via ears in the main frameprotruding from the side facing the load-carrying frame. Theload-carrying frame 13 is also provided with a transverse bar 18 whichin turn is provided with a support frame 21 pivoted thereon. Atransverse piece 24 (FIG. 2) may be included in the support frame 21 andthis transverse piece 24 or the free ends of the support frame 21 may beprovided with locking means or support feet 25 in the form of clamps.The transverse stay 18 may also be included as an integral part of thesupport frame 21, this part being pivotably attached between theparallel bars 14 and 15 of the load-carrying frame 13. The lockingmember 25 can be fixed to the intermediate transverse stay 7 (FIG. 1) orto the lower end frame part 5 (FIG. 3) to offer various positions of theload-carrying frame and thus also various uses for the equipment.

The locking means 25 on the support frame 21 can also be arranged tolock the load-carrying frame 13 in a fully folded position close to themain frame (FIG. 6). In this position the locking means cooperate withthe transverse stay 8.

The straps 36 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 can be used for hanging up theequipment when being used as a bow ladder (FIG. 1a) or to restrain bulkygoods (FIG. 3a).

To facilitate use as a bow ladder, the load-carrying frame 13 ispreferably provided with an inward depression 31 to fit the bow part ofthe hull, thus preventing the equipment from slipping on the hull whenthe load-carrying frame 13 is subjected to stress caused by a personboarding the boat.

FIGS. 3 and 3a show two different types of parking supports, one ofwhich comprises a bracket 19 arranged around the transverse stay 18,which can be turned to a stop in the position shown in FIG. 3 and theother a bracket 20 located pivotably at the front end of theload-carrying frame 13, this bracket also being limited by a stop to theposition shown in FIG. 3a.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show alternative embodiments of the equipment in which theload-carrying frame 13 is jointed, i.e. it is provided with an outerframe piece 23 which is jointed about the transverse stay 18 of theload-carrying frame 13. This permits additonal functions such as thatshown in FIG. 4 with a low load plane on the inner portion of theload-carrying frame 13 formed by folding down the frame piece 23 forattachment to the end frame part 5. This is the position shown in FIGS.4 and 4a. It also permits the use of a raised, but limited load plane(FIG. 5).

The outer part 23 of the load-carrying frame is thus arranged to belocked in the load-carrying frame 13 to form the previously mentionedextended load plane (shown in FIGS. 1-3). The locking and positioningbetween parts 23 and 13 can be achieved in several ways. FIG. 4 showsone alternative in which the load-carrying frame 13 receives dowels 32projecting under spring influence, the free ends of which are jointedand support permanent dowels 33 on the part 23, said dowels being drawnby spring action into the bars 14 and 15 of the load-carrying frame inorder to lock the part 23 to the load-carrying frame 13 and to form theextenddd load plane.

FIG. 5 shows a different arrangement to achieve locking between theinner and outer parts of the load-carrying frame. This arrangementcomprises a sleeve 34 located on the outside of each bar 14, 15 hndhaving a spring-influenced locking dowel (not shown in FIG. 5)protruding therefrom. The locking dowels in each sleeve are arranged tobe inserted under spring force into the respective sleeves 34 and whenthe load-carrying frames are on the same plane, i.e. when the outerframe part 23 has been swung to a position in which it is parallel tothe bars 14, 15, the locking dowels can be released and accepted inhollows in the end parts of the load-carrying frame in order to achievelocking engagement.

The cross-piece of the frame part 23 is provided with locking memberssuch as locking brackets 35, by means of which, after being swung aroundits axis, the outer load-carrying frame can be retained at either thelower end frame part of the main frame to be used for some purpose, orat the intermediate transverse stay of the main frame for a differentpurpose, to be described below.

This locking bracket or other form of locking means can be used tosecure the two connected load-carrying frames to the main frame infolded position, the brackets being designed to be brought intoengagement with the upper transverse stay. The wheels 9, 10, arranged onthe main frame 1, are preferably of plastic and easily removable fromthe main frame, by means of an easily removable cotter pin which keepsthe wheels in position on the main frame in assembled position. At leastone groove may be arranged around the running periphery of the wheel, inwhich a ring of homogeneous rubber, for instance, is fitted. This ringenables smooth and quiet running on a hard surface and sinks down easilyinto a soft surface so that the entire width of the running surface onthe wheel is used to give sufficient support.

Various ways of assembling the equipment and fields of application willbe suggested in the following:

1. Bow ladder (FIG. 1)

By securing the support frame 21 to the transverse stay 7 of the mainframe with clamps 25, the load-carrying frame 13 can be used as asupport against the bow of a leisure craft, the equipment having beensuspended in the bow pulpit, railing or the like by the straps 36. Theinward depression 31 in the outer transverse stay of the load-carryingframe offers improved lateral stability.

2. Bathing ladder (FIG. 2)

It the load-carrying frame 13 is folded down to hand against the lowerend frame part 5 of the main frame, an arrangement suspended by thestraps 36 with the wheels 9, 10 as supports against the stern or hullside can function as a bathing ladder, the cross-pieces acting as rungson the ladder.

3. Transport cart with large load plane (FIG. 3)

If the clamps 25 outermost on the support frame 21 are applied on thelower end frame part 5 of the main frame 1, a relatively large loadplane will be formed which is suitable for relatively light and bulkygoods. The two straps 36 can then be used to hold the goods against theload-carrying frame and the main frame.

4. Transport cart with small, low load plane (FIG. 4)

In one embodiment of the equipment according to the invention, in whichthe load-carrying frame 13 is jointed, the outer frame part 23 can befolded down to rest against the side frame parts 2, 3 of the main frameand the lower end frame part 5. The inner, load-carrying frame part 13then forms a load plane which is directed at right angles to the mainframe. If the support frame 21 is then placed parallel to the main framethe attachment member (not shown) on the outer frame part 23 can belocked to the lower end frame part 5 of the main frame, which means thatthe equipment can be parked erect either with or without load. Thisposition also permits a pack-bag to be hung from one or more of thetransverse stays of the main frame.

5. Transport cart with slightly higher load plane (FIG. 5)

The use of locking brackets enables the frame part 23 to be secured tothe intermediate transverse stay 7, thus forming the smaller, raisedload plane. The equipment can then be used for transporting goodsrequiring some distance to the ground, or as a provisional measure fortransporting handicapped persons, for instance, or possibly as a child'spushchair, in which case the support frame serves as a foot rest.

6. Collapsed (FIG. 6)

When folded together the equipment according to the invention takes aminimum of space since both load-carrying frame and support frame lieparallel, close to the main frame. In this position too, lockingbrackets on an outer frame part can be used to secure the load-carryingframe to the upper cross-piece 6 of the main frame.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above by wayof example. Modifications are feasible within the frame of the followingclaims.

I claim:
 1. Combi-equipment functioning as transport cart and ladder, particularly boat-ladder, said equipment comprising a main frame supported by wheels and a load-carrying member, said main frame comprising two elongate, substantially parallel side frame pieces and upper and lower end frame pieces, joining the side frame pieces, as well as a number of transverse stays between the side frame parts, characterised in that the load-carrying member comprises a load-carrying frame pivotably journalled on a transverse stay or on the side frame parts, and a support frame which is pivotably journalled on the load-carrying frame, that the support frame is provided with locking means designed to be brought into engagement with either the lower end frame part of the main frame to give a first position of the load-carrying member, or with a second transverse stay of the main frame part, said second stay being located above and at a predetermined distance from said first transverse stay, to give a second position of the load-carrying member.
 2. Equipment according to claim 1, characterised in that the load-carrying frame comprises an outer part pivotable in relation thereto and arranged to be locked in relation to the load carrying frame to provide an extended load plane or extended support member.
 3. Equipment according to claim 2, characterised in that the outer part of the load carrying frame is provided with locking means which, after the locking engagement of the outer part with the load-carrying frame has been released, can be brought into engagement with the lower end frame part of the main frame, so that a third position for the load-carrying member is obtained.
 4. Equipment according to c1aim 2 or 3, characterised in that the outer part of the load-carrying frame is designed to abut against the lower end frame part of the main frame, whereupon the support frame of the load-carrying frame is arranged to assume a perpendicular position in relation to the load-carrying frame, the support frame of the load-carrying frame serving as a support on the ground. 